Guidebook for Los Angeles
Drinks & Nightlife
I’ve hosted A Club Called Rhonda at this spot once a month for the past 9 years. It’s three rooms, 2 floors, and everyone is welcome. On our nights, you’re greeted at the door by a seven-foot tall drag queen named Phyllis Navidad. This is the place to express yourself right off the bat with your look, your vibe, the way that you're interacting with other people—a hundred and ten percent.
Leave your inhibitions at the door and stay ‘til the end. The "magic hour" is after the bar shuts down but the music rages on. This is when you'll feel the real communal spirit of Rhonda, and also see who else came for the music.
84 locals recommend
Los Globos
3040 Sunset BlvdI’ve hosted A Club Called Rhonda at this spot once a month for the past 9 years. It’s three rooms, 2 floors, and everyone is welcome. On our nights, you’re greeted at the door by a seven-foot tall drag queen named Phyllis Navidad. This is the place to express yourself right off the bat with your look, your vibe, the way that you're interacting with other people—a hundred and ten percent.
Leave your inhibitions at the door and stay ‘til the end. The "magic hour" is after the bar shuts down but the music rages on. This is when you'll feel the real communal spirit of Rhonda, and also see who else came for the music.
There’s a weekly party called Georgio’s at mmhmmm in The Standard Hollywood that has been happening every Saturday for 4 years. It still has an amazing vibe, mainly because the music policy sticks strictly to 70s and 80s, the people are all dressed up in their disco best (chic only, nothing cheesy), and nobody is stuck on their phones.
You’ll enter the club through the hotel kitchen, where you’ll pass by kitchen staff and sous-chefs cutting potatoes before feeling your way through a dark, candlelit hallway. Eventually, you’ll see the disco ball and mirrors everywhere, and you’ll know you’ve arrived.
102 locals recommend
The Standard, Hollywood
8300 Sunset BlvdThere’s a weekly party called Georgio’s at mmhmmm in The Standard Hollywood that has been happening every Saturday for 4 years. It still has an amazing vibe, mainly because the music policy sticks strictly to 70s and 80s, the people are all dressed up in their disco best (chic only, nothing cheesy), and nobody is stuck on their phones.
You’ll enter the club through the hotel kitchen, where you’ll pass by kitchen staff and sous-chefs cutting potatoes before feeling your way through a dark, candlelit hallway. Eventually, you’ll see the disco ball and mirrors everywhere, and you’ll know you’ve arrived.
This is the more exclusive wing at Tenants of the Trees, which is a super cute bar and a recent hot spot. I've had some pretty crazy nights here where it’s definitely felt like the whole room was shaking. The music seems louder, the people seem rowdier, and it just feels like a more intimate vibe with all your friends.
There’s a password to get in, and it changes nightly. Normally, you need the password, or you have to know someone to get in. Even if you can’t swing the password and you wind up at the more public part of Tenants of the Trees, you’re still going to have an amazing night.
89 locals recommend
TENANTS OF THE TREES
2810 Hyperion AveThis is the more exclusive wing at Tenants of the Trees, which is a super cute bar and a recent hot spot. I've had some pretty crazy nights here where it’s definitely felt like the whole room was shaking. The music seems louder, the people seem rowdier, and it just feels like a more intimate vibe with all your friends.
There’s a password to get in, and it changes nightly. Normally, you need the password, or you have to know someone to get in. Even if you can’t swing the password and you wind up at the more public part of Tenants of the Trees, you’re still going to have an amazing night.
This place looks like a 70s Asian themed drug den with leopard print carpet, pink furniture, and awesome infinity mirror installations. The cocktail waitresses wear lingerie and kimonos—plus, there's karaoke! My favorite is disco night, naturally, but any night that you get a group of friends in one of the private karaoke rooms is bound to be fun.
Enter through the parking garage, farthest spot on your left. You enter through a shipping container into a kitchen and through a hall. Upon entering ask the hostess if there's any private rooms available, or how long the wait is for one. Take a picture with the Jackie Chan statue.
15 locals recommend
Blind Dragon
9201 Sunset BlvdThis place looks like a 70s Asian themed drug den with leopard print carpet, pink furniture, and awesome infinity mirror installations. The cocktail waitresses wear lingerie and kimonos—plus, there's karaoke! My favorite is disco night, naturally, but any night that you get a group of friends in one of the private karaoke rooms is bound to be fun.
Enter through the parking garage, farthest spot on your left. You enter through a shipping container into a kitchen and through a hall. Upon entering ask the hostess if there's any private rooms available, or how long the wait is for one. Take a picture with the Jackie Chan statue.
It's a little Cuban supper club in a very unassuming strip mall in Hollywood, but once the music gets going the dance floor fills up and the dancers are breathtaking. For the novice or just for a fun date night, there are couple’s salsa lessons before the band starts. But once it does, don't be shy, just get out there and move!
Make a reservation ahead of time as they fill up fast, and sometimes they won't let you in without one. Plus, if you have a reservation, they’ll normally waive the cover fee. Come early if you'd like to eat, and even earlier if you'd like to eat AND be part of the dance instruction.
19 locals recommend
Peruvian Seafood El Dorado Restaurant
730 Vine StIt's a little Cuban supper club in a very unassuming strip mall in Hollywood, but once the music gets going the dance floor fills up and the dancers are breathtaking. For the novice or just for a fun date night, there are couple’s salsa lessons before the band starts. But once it does, don't be shy, just get out there and move!
Make a reservation ahead of time as they fill up fast, and sometimes they won't let you in without one. Plus, if you have a reservation, they’ll normally waive the cover fee. Come early if you'd like to eat, and even earlier if you'd like to eat AND be part of the dance instruction.
I always enjoy my local gay bar. The front room is open on weeknights, and then on the weekends, they open up the back room, and there's a pretty small dance floor bar back there with mirrors around the stage. There's another bar in the back, so you can have a very fun time just dancing there, whether you're gay, whether you're straight, whatever.
You’ll probably have to pay a minimal cover—like, five dollars or something—to get back to the dance floor, but the great old school disco and classic dance music are worth it. Plus the mirrors, fog, and poppers play well together.
119 locals recommend
Akbar
4356 Sunset BlvdI always enjoy my local gay bar. The front room is open on weeknights, and then on the weekends, they open up the back room, and there's a pretty small dance floor bar back there with mirrors around the stage. There's another bar in the back, so you can have a very fun time just dancing there, whether you're gay, whether you're straight, whatever.
You’ll probably have to pay a minimal cover—like, five dollars or something—to get back to the dance floor, but the great old school disco and classic dance music are worth it. Plus the mirrors, fog, and poppers play well together.
This is a breakfast bar—a bar where they serve breakfast all night. They’ve combined two concepts: drinking all night and then going out to breakfast after. There's some pretty interesting collaborations between morning food and drinks (boozy french toast, spiked cereal milk).
Make a reservation if you’d like to eat/drink while seated. Otherwise you’ll be at a standing communal table or on a busier night might just have to stand to eat/drink/dance. Treat it like a bar, not like a restaurant, that’s the vibe you want here.
25 locals recommend
Nighthawk: Breakfast Bar
417 Washington BlvdThis is a breakfast bar—a bar where they serve breakfast all night. They’ve combined two concepts: drinking all night and then going out to breakfast after. There's some pretty interesting collaborations between morning food and drinks (boozy french toast, spiked cereal milk).
Make a reservation if you’d like to eat/drink while seated. Otherwise you’ll be at a standing communal table or on a busier night might just have to stand to eat/drink/dance. Treat it like a bar, not like a restaurant, that’s the vibe you want here.